Walking hobbyhorse



c. J. MARKOWSKI 2,252,016

WALKING HOBBYHORSE Filed July 3. 1940 mmmm li WWHEMI INVENTOR WITNESS ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 12, 1941 green 6 Claims. ((31. 272-53) My invention relates to new and useful improvements in toys.

An important object of my invention is to provide a toy made to simulate a horse, or like animal, which toy is of sufiicient size to support a person and wherein the construction of the toy is such that the rider may, by swaying from side to side, cause the same to move forwardly in simulation of the act of walking.

Another object of my invention is to provide a toy of the above-mentioned character which includes provision for attaching a cart to the body of the horse, which cart will support a person in such a manner that the weight of the person will be at least partially supported by the body, whereby the said person may reach forwardly and rock the body of the horse from side to side in a manner to impart a walking action thereto.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a toy of the above-mentioned character which is strongly and substantially constructed in a manner to assure a device safe for use by small children, and which will provide considerable pleasure and amusement for the persons using the same.

Other objects and advantages of my invention, will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawing, forming a part of this specifica tion, and wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure l. is a side elevationoi a figurine formed and constructed in accordance with my invention,

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof,

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the same,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating the figurine shown in Figure l as having a cart attached thereto, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral Ill designates a figurine formed in simulation of a horse, the body of which horse is constructed from a suitable board material, as clearly illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. The body' I I, neck l2, and head 13 of the horse are preferably formed in one piece and therear legs [4 and front legs l5 are formed separately and pivotally mounted at the opposite ends of the body. It is to be understood that while the figurine is here illustrated as assumin the shape of a. horse, any desired figure may be used.

The legs l4 and I5 are provided in pairs and are made tosimulate as closely as possible the actual shape of the legs of a horse, the legs of Suitable means, such as the rivets it, may be used to secure the extremities of the legs within the recesses.

The upper extremity of each of the legs is provided with a beveled surface 20' which contacts the sides of the body and determines the angular relation existent between the body and the legs. A pivot 2| extends through the body substantially forwardly of the longitudinal axes 'of each pair of legs and its opposite ends extend from the sides of the body to engage withthe legs and to hold the same pivotally associated with the body. Each of the legs is independently and freely, movable relative to the body; however, means is provided to restrict the pivotal movement to within defined limits. An arcuate slot 22 is provided in each of the legs rearwardly of its longitudinal axis and the pins 23 extend from the body and through the slots, whereby the upper and lower extremities of the slots will limit the distance which the legs will move about the pivots 2|.

A blanket 24 may be secured to the body of the horse by the strap 25 and a saddle 26 is mounted on the blanket in the conventional manner. The saddle isprovided with an essentially broad seat 21, as best illustrated in Figure 2, which seat is shaped to comfortably support a rider on the back of the horse. An inverted U-shaped metallic strap 28 is fitted to the body of the horse below the saddle and the extremities thereof extend slightly below the belly of the horse and curve outwardly, to define stirrup members 29. The reins 30 extend from a bit 3! fitted in the mouth of the horse to the horn 32 of the saddle, and a suitable tail 33 of rope, or the like, is applied to the body. The figurine thus formed is preferably artistically painted to make the same resemble as closely as possible the animal which it represents.

When the rider mounts the horse he assumes a straddling position on the saddle 26 and places his feet in the stirrups 29. By reason of the fact that the pivots 2| are placed well forwardly of the longitudinal axes of the legs, the weight of the rider on the horse will cause the legs to move about the pivots 2| until the pins 23 engage the lower ends of the slots 22. If the rider throws his weight laterally of the body so that the body will lean in that direction, the blocks I! carried by the rear and front legs at the elevated side of the body will raise slightly from the supporting surface and gravity will cause the legs thus elevated to move forwardly to a substantially perpendicular position relative to the supporting surface. If the rider then throws his weight in the opposite direction to cause the elevated blocks I! to again engage the supporting surface and to cause the blocks carried by the opposite pair of legs to be elevated from the supporting surface, the pivoted ends of the first pair of legs will swing forwardly about the pivots 2! and the second pair of legs will swing freely about their pivots to: assume a substantially perpendicular position relative to the supporting surface. It may thus readily be seen that a repetition of the above operation will cause the blocks raised from the supporting surface to engage the surface and swing about their pivots until the retaining pins 23 engage with the bottom extremities of the arcuate slots 22, which action will cause the body of the horse to move forwardly slightly and will cause the opposite pair of legsto be raised slightly from the supporting surface. Continued rocking movement of the rider from side to side will cause the horse to move forwardly in a series of steps, the legs at the opposite sides of the body moving forwardly simultaneously as the weight of the rider is shifted.

In Figures 5 and 6 I have illustrated a means for attaching a cart 34 to the figure It]. When the cart is attached to the figurine, the saddle 26 and stirrups 28 are preferably removed therefrom.

The cart is preferably of the sulky type wherein a. pair of laterally spaced shafts 35 are connected to and extend forwardly of the axle 36 which connects the wheels 31. The shafts are arranged'in embracing relation with the horse and extend substantially the full length thereof. In order that the device may operate satisfactoril-y, it is necessary that the horse be fixedly connected to the shafts but it is also necessary that it be permitted to have a substantially independent lateral or rocking movement therebetween. The middle of the connecting link member 42 is bent into a semi-circular formation 43, which portion is received by the eyebolt 44 imbedded in the bottom edge of the body of the horse. The portion 43 of the link member is permitted a free pivotal movement within the eyebolt and the opposite ends 45 and 46 of the link are bent upwardly and extend through passages provided in the shafts 35. The upwardly extending ends of the link member are bolted or otherwise fixedly secured to the shafts.

The seat 38 is mounted onthe shafts forwardly ofthe wheels and slightly rearwardly of the horse. stirrups 39, of a suitable metallic strap material, are formed similarly to the stirrups 2B and mounted on the shafts 35 forwardly of the seat whereby a person may assume a position on the seat and place his feet on the foot receiving portions 40 of the stirrups.

When a person is disposed on the seat 38 and his feet are elevated from the ground and supported by the stirrups 40, his weight will be at least partially supported by the horse. As illustrated in Figure 5, the seat is arranged sufficiently close to the figurine to permit the driver to reach forwardly and grasp the pins 4| extending laterally of the rearward end of the body II. By bracing himself against the stirrup strap 39, the driver may easily rock the figurine from side to side and the rocking motion thus imparted to the figurine will cause the same .to move forwardly in the manner hereinabove described.

It may thus be seen that the present invention may be adapted to a toy comprising a figurine having provision for supporting a rider on its back, or to a toy comprising a cart and figurine wherein the driver is seated on the cart rearwardly of the figurine. In either form of the invention the rider or driver may move the horse to cause the same to move forwardly along the supporting surface.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, or scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A toy comprising a body, legs arranged at the opposite ends of the body, said legs projecting a substantial distance below the body and extending downwardly and outwardly relative thereto, pivots extending from the body and connecting with the legs at one side of their central longitudinal axes, and pins extending from the body and into arcuate slots provided at the opposite side of the central longitudinal axes of the legs, said legs being independently freely swingable relative to the body whereby leaning of the body from side to side will effect a forward movement thereof.

2. A toy comprising a mobile figurine, a cart secured to the figurine, the said cart including spaced wheels, shafts connecting the wheels to the figurine and a seat mounted on the shafts forwardly of the wheels and slightly rearwardly of the figurine, the said figurine being rockably mounted between the shafts and the said seat being located in such relation to the figurine that the weight of a person disposed on the seat will be at least partially supported by the figurine and whereby the said person may reach forwardly from his position on the seat and manually actuate the said figurine.

3. A toy having in combination a figurine having a body, legs independently freely swingable within defined limits relative to the body, and a cart secured to the figurine, the said cart including spaced wheels, shafts connecting the wheels to the figurine, and a seat mounted on the shafts forwardly of the wheels and slightly rearwardly of the figurine whereby the weight of a person disposed on the seat will be at least partially supported by the figurine and whereby such person may reach forwardly and rock the figurine to effect a walking movement thereof.

4. A toy having in combination a figurine provided with a body, legs independently freely swingable within defined limits relative to the body, handle members projecting from the body, a cart secured to the figurine, the said cart in- 'cluding spaced wheels, shafts connecting the wheels to the figurine, and a seat on the shafts forwardly of the wheels and rearwardly of the figurine whereby the weight of a person disposed on the seat will be at least partially supported by the figurine and whereby such person may reach forwardly and manually grasp the handle members to rock the figurine to effect a walking movement thereof.

5. A toy having in combination a figurine including a body, pivots extending from the body and connecting with the legs at one side of their central longitudinal axes, pins extending from the body and into arcuate slots provided at the opposite side of the central longitudinal axes of the legs, a cart secured to the figurine, the said cart including spaced Wheels, shafts connecting the wheels to the figurine, and a seat mounted on the shafts forwardly of the wheels and slightly rearwardly of the figurine whereby the weight of a person disposed on the seat will be at least partially supported by the figurine and whereby such person may reach forwardly and rock the figurine to effect a walking movement thereof. 20

6. A toy having in combination a figurine provided with a body, legs arranged at the opposite ends of the body, pivots extending from the body and connecting with the legs at one side of their central longitudinal axes, pins extending from the body and into arcuate slots provided at the opposite side of the central longitudinal axes of the legs, handle members projecting from the body, a cart secured to the figurine, the said cart including spaced wheels, shafts connecting the wheels to the figurine, and a seat mounted on the shafts forwardly of the wheels and slightly rearwardly of the figurine whereby the weight of a person disposed on the seat will be at least partially supported by the figurine and whereby such person may reach forwardly and manually grasp the said handle members to rock the figurine in a manner to effect a Walking movement thereof.

CARL J. MARKOWSKI. 

